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The Wonder Years (band)

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The Wonder Years
The Wonder Years Performing live in 2009
The Wonder Years Performing live in 2009
Background information
OriginPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
GenresPop punk, melodic hardcore
Years active2005–present
LabelsHopeless Records, No Sleep Records
MembersDan Campbell
Josh Martin
Matt Brasch
Casey Cavaliere
Nick Steinborn
Mike Kennedy
Past membersMikey Kelly
Websitewww.thewonderyearsband.com

The Wonder Years is an American rock band from Lansdale, Pennsylvania that began in June 2005. Since their conception, they have released three full length albums, two EPs, and several splits/compilations. The group is currently signed to Hopeless Records.[1] The Wonder Years usually employs melodic musicianship in combination with the bumpy timbre of pop punk vocals, both of which are usually used in pop-punk music.

History

Formation, the early years (2005-2006)

The Wonder Years were born in 2005 out of the remnants of an old Lansdale, PA band called The Premier. The Premier consisted of Soupy (Dan Campbell), Matt, Nick, Dave and CJ Morgan. Dave and CJ were the only members of The Premier that didn't join The Wonder Years.

The Wonder Years's first two years of existence amounted to two relatively unknown split EP's with Lansdale bands that are no longer together. Their first split with Emergency and I was released in 2005 and featured two songs that would later be included and re recorded on their first full length Get Stoked on It!. ("I Fell in Love with a Ninja Master" and "Buzz Aldrin: The Poster Boy for Second Place"). The other song on the split was "Cowboy Killers".

The Wonder Years quickly followed up their 2005 release by putting out another split, this time with a band called Bangarang! In a similar fashion to their split with Emergency and I, The Wonder Years's split with Bangarang! featured two songs that would be re-recorded and included on Get Stoked on It!. ("My Geraldine Lies Over the Delaware" and "Let's Moshercise!"). The other two songs were "I Ain't Sayin Hea Golddigga (Sike!)" and "Through Two Hearts".

Get Stoked on It! (2007)

The Wonder Years signed to No Sleep Records in 2007 - After completing their first UK tour with Never So True, The Wonder Years's first full length album, Get Stoked on It! caused their then-small fan base to grow significantly. Get Stoked on It! was released on October 30, 2007 and featured 12 songs, all playfully titled.

Track List for: "Get Stoked On It!"

  • 1. Keystone State Dude-Core
  • 2. Bout To Get Fruit Punched, Homie
  • 3. Buzz Aldrin: Poster Boy For Second Place
  • 4. Let's Moshercise!!!
  • 5. "What If We [Swam] Into Nothing?"
  • 6. Racing Trains
  • 7. Zombies are the New Black
  • 8. We Were Giants
  • 9. My Geraldine Lies Over the Delaware
  • 10. Dude, What Is a Land Pirate?
  • 11. I Fell in Love With a Ninja Master
  • 12. When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong

Won't Be Pathetic Forever (2008-2009)

In the spring of 2008, The Wonder Years released an EP titled, Won't Be Pathetic Forever. In 2009, The Wonder Years' released a split EP titled Distances with U.K. pop-punk band All or Nothing. The split consisted of only two songs by The Wonder Years, and it was after this release that keyboardist/vocalist Mikey Kelly left the band to pursue other goals.

Track List For: "Won't Be Pathetic Forever"

  • 1. Mike Kennedy Is A Bad Friend
  • 2. Solo & Chewy: Holdin' it Down
  • 3. Won't Be Pathetic Forever
  • 4. You're Not Salinger. Get Over It.

The Upsides (2010)

The Wonder Years's second full length album, The Upsides was released on January 26, 2010. The Upsides sold 1852 units in its first week, landing it on multiple Billboard charts: #5 on Alternative Artist, #9 on Top New Artist, #26 on Top Internet Album, and #43 on Indie Label Album.[2]

Also with the release of The Upsides was a 7" limited to only 500 copies and available with pre-order of "The Upsides" CD. This vinyl features a non album song entitled Leavenhouse. 11:30., which is about the early years of music for The Wonder Years and their local scene in Lansdale, PA. The title "Leavenhouse" refers to a house in which members of the Lansdale band "Leavenworth" lived and hung out at day or night.

A few months after the release of The Upsides, on May 27, The Wonder Years announced that they had signed to "Hopeless Records". Their first release after their signing was a split 7" with Fallen from the Sky, on which they covered "Zip Lock" by Lit.

The Wonder Years spent much of the remainder of 2010 on an assortment of tours including the "Ship of Fools" tour with Streetlight Manifesto, a short tour with New Found Glory in between NFG's dates on the "Honda Civic Tour", an Australian tour with Heroes For Hire, Tonight Alive, and Skyway, the "Kimbo Wants a Pepsi" tour with Set Your Goals and Comeback Kid; and the "Tonight We Feel Alive" tour headlined by Four Year Strong.

The Wonder Years released a deluxe version of The Upsides on September 21, 2010. It included 4 new songs titled, "I Was Scared and I'm Sorry", "We Won't Bury You", "Dynamite Shovel (Campfire Version)", and "Logan Circle: A New Hope". "We Won't Bury You" was written about best friend Mike Pelone who was also in the band "Emergency and I." Mike Pelone passed away in August 2010.

In October 2010, The Wonder Years released a music video for the song "Melrose Diner" set to the theme of BAW Wrestling and starring actor Charlie Saxton as the wrestler "Lone Wolf".[3]

Suburbia: I've Given You All and Now I'm Nothing (2011)

In the fall of 2010, The Wonder Years confirmed that they were writing the follow up to The Upsides. It was named one of Alternative Press' most anticipated albums of the year.[4]

After spending time recording the new album, The Wonder Years set off on The Kerrang! Relentless Energy Tour alongside Good Charlotte, Four Year Strong, and Framing Hanley in February.

For the month of April, the band toured smaller markets that were not prohibited by their agreement to play Warped Tour. The "Manscout Jamboree Tour" was a co-headliner with Fireworks, support courtesy of Living With Lions, Such Gold and Make Do and Mend. Mixtapes and This Time Next Year acted as support when Fireworks and Such Gold were forced to miss dates.

On April 11, 2011, the Wonder Years announced that their new album is to be entitled Suburbia: I've Given You All and Now I'm Nothing. It was released June 14, 2011 on Hopeless Records. "Suburbia" is inspired by the poem America by Allen Ginsberg as well as the band's life following the release of The Upsides. The album is said to be part of the Wonder Years's continuing cohesive "story", told through all of their albums (Get Stoked on It! notwithstanding). The first single off the album titled "Local Man Ruins Everything" was released on April 12, 2011 on iTunes. The second single, "Don't Let Me Cave In, was released on iTunes and Amazon on May 3, 2011, along with a music video. The third single, "Coffee Eyes" was made available for streaming on the Alternative Press website on June 1, 2011. The album is also released on vinyl through No Sleep Records. The record charted at number 73 on the Billboard Top 200 the week of its release, selling 8100 copies.

Upon conclusion of the "Manscout Jamboree Tour", the Wonder Years toured Australia in May 2011 as part of the "Mix N Mash Tour"; playing alongside Parkway Drive, Miss May I and Melbourne metalcore band Confession, with dates in Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth.

The band spent the entire summer on Vans Warped Tour 2011 before embarking in the fall.

Just before The Wonder Years set off for Warped Tour 2011 they announced via Facebook that they will be doing a full mainland UK tour in September, with support from Valencia and Such Gold. The "A Whole Year In Airports Tour" started on the 13th September in Norwich.

On August 11, 2011 they released a music video for "Local Man Ruins Everything". The video consists of Hank The Pigeon "adventuring on his own" around Lansdale and Philadelphia.

It was confirmed on August 15, 2011 that the band was added to the opening act of the Pop Punk's Not Dead Tour this Fall headlined by New Found Glory. Other opening acts include Set Your Goals, Man Overboard, and This Time Next Year.

They covered Alkaline Trio's "Cooking Wine" for the Alkaline Trio Tribute album.

From 28 November, The Wonder Years supported Yellowcard and Saves The Day in the Co Headline Tour. They will be playing in several cities around the UK, these include Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham and London. The Wonder Years also played two headline dates in Loughborough and Sheffield

Starting March 9, The Wonder Years will be headlining the "Glamour Kills Tour 2012" with Polar Bear Club, Transit, The Story So Far, A Loss For Words, and Into It. Over It.

It has been confirmed that the band will be heading back to the UK to play Hit The Deck Festival in Nottingham on the 22 April, the band has also confirmed two dates at The Peel in Kingston[disambiguation needed] on the 21st and 23 April.

The band released their half of a split with Stay Ahead Of the Weather entitled "Me vs. the Highway" on April 17, 2012.

Discography

Studio albums

EPs and splits

  • 2005: Split with Emergency and I
  • 2006: Split with Bangarang
  • 2007: Tour EP
  • 2008: Won't Be Pathetic Forever 7"
  • 2009: Distances (split with All or Nothing)
  • 2009: I Refuse To Sink: A Collection Of Prior Recordings
  • 2010: Under the Influence, Vol. 13" (split with Fallen from the Sky)
  • 2010: The Wonder Years Vs. Heroes for Hire 7" (Australian release only)
  • 2012: Punk Is Dead. Get A Job. (split with Stay Ahead of The Weather)

Compilation Appearances

  • 2009: Carry the Torch (Kid Dynamite cover compilation)
  • 2011: VS The Earthquake (Benefit Compilation)
  • 2011: Take Action! Vol. 10 (compilation)
  • 2011: Hopeless Summer 2011 (Hopeless Records Compilation)
  • 2011: A Tribute To Alkaline Trio (Pacific Ridge Records)[5]
  • 2011: Pop Punk Isn't Dead (compilation)
  • 2012: Love Is Hopeless (Hopeless Records Valentine's Day compilation)

Personnel

Current members
Former members

References

  1. ^ "Artists - The Wonder Years". Hopeless Records. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
  2. ^ "Congrats on Outselling Heidi Montag". AbsolutePunk. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
  3. ^ YouTube - The Wonder Years - Melrose Diner - Official Video
  4. ^ Alt Press | Magazine | #270 - All Time Low
  5. ^ "A Tribute To Alkaline Trio". Retrieved 2011-11-09. {{cite web}}: Text "Pacific Ridge Records" ignored (help)
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